


Bloom

by Zoe__eoZ



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Pogues (Outer Banks)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:40:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26603848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoe__eoZ/pseuds/Zoe__eoZ
Summary: It's a beautiful day to go surfing - until it isn't.A jellyfish infestation - also known as a bloom - ruins the Pogues' fun at the beach, and may just threaten someone's life ......The Pogues being there for each other.
Relationships: JJ/Kiara/John B. Routledge
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37





	Bloom

**Author's Note:**

> Hi fellow OBX friends.
> 
> I'm sure you can guess how I got the idea for this ... When the boys left Sarah and Kie on the boat, and Sarah got stung by a jelly. And I thought to myself, what if it wasn't just one jelly? What if someone else got stung, in a different setting?
> 
> So, from that scene, I only kept the jelly.
> 
> Sarah's not in this fic, although I'm half-debating adding a small coda in which she'd meet up with our incestuous little friendship group.
> 
> There's a squint-or-you'll miss it bit of Jiara in this fic, a hint of JBxJJ, maybe even Pope and Kie, but a lot is just happening between the lines here and it's mostly just friends being friends.

…

The surf is good today. Kie smiles to herself as she stares out at the ocean, board under her arm.

"You guys coming, or what?" she hollers as she breaks into a jog, laughing back at the boys on the beach.

She whoops as the cold ocean water washes over her feet and she keeps going, going.

It's summer, still, but the Tourons have left, school's started back up, and only the locals are left. It feels nice, too nice—which is why she and the others are skipping school today. Of course it had been JJ's idea. But he'd claimed it was to get John B out and lift their friend's spirits, and Kie can see his point.

Out here, with them and the ocean, John B finally has a laid-back smile on his face again. There's no trace of that broody darkness in his gaze that has been haunting her ever since she's come back ( _too late_ ) from the Kook side, only to find out his dad has been missing for months.

And what a shit friend she had been. But not anymore. Now she's here, and it's time to forget all the heavy-hearted stuff for a bit and just have fun.

"Come on!" she hollers again. "Or I'll be the first to catch a wave!"

She doesn't have to tell them twice. Looking over her shoulder, her hair flying into her face, she laughs when she sees the three of them scramble up off their beach towels and grab their boards to run after her like it's a race.

And maybe it is.

She splashes deeper into the water until it's easier to just swim, and she jumps onto her board and paddles with her arms as fast as she can. Her muscles are still sore from yesterday, but she doesn't care, just keeps going until she's far out, her friends without a chance to get to her before she can ride that first beautiful wave.

Because there it is, big and powerful. She can see it rolling toward her, still looking harmless to someone without an eye for it. But she can already tell it's going to be a good one.

Then, when it builds up more and more, she gets ready, flexing her muscles, waiting for the right moment as she bobs on her board, grabbing its sides to steady herself.

When the wave's grown enough and she can feel the surge under her, she plants her feet on top of the board and goes with the flow, with the water, letting it carry her with it, her friends whooping and yelling over to her from where they're still not too deep in the water.

"Nice one, Kie!"

At the end, she lets herself timber into the water before the wave can shake her off, and she throws her head back, laughing.

"Told you I was gonna be the first!"

She grins as Pope, JJ and John B paddle closer to her, still far away. They're all mock-complaining.

"That wasn't fair."

"You cheated. Got a head-start before you told us it was a race. That doesn't count."

"Dude, that was an awesome wave, though."

They're not actually annoyed with her, just teasing, and she chuckles, waiting for them to come closer. She's about to hoist herself back up onto her board when something touches her leg, and "Ow! Shit!" she yells, her hand instinctively reaching down to grab at whatever got her, and she curses when her fingers begin stinging next.

A jellyfish. Crap.

"Guys! I got stung," she hollers over, "Better watch it, there's a friggin jelly here somewhere."

"You alright?"

JJ appears before her first, and she frowns up at him, then nods, holding up her fingers.

"I'm an idiot, I touched where it got me. I think I still got some damn tentacles stuck to my leg."

"Let's get you out of the water."

"I got some vinegar in my backpack," Pope chimes in. "Let's clean you up and get you home."

What would she do without her boys …

The stupid sting burns like hell. Grimacing, she doesn't complain when John B and JJ both hop into the water to help her onto her board, though she does feel a bit ridiculous.

"I'm fine, guys, really," she groans.

"Ouch," JJ says as his gaze falls on her leg, and when she follows it she has to grimace. Ouch indeed. There's an epic tentacle stuck to it, the skin already breaking out in welts underneath it.

"Don't touch it. It'll sting you too," she warns JJ and he looks up at her, then nods, surprising her with his complete lack of a snarky reply.

"Come on, let's get you back to shore." John B smiles at her encouragingly and she smiles right back even though she doesn't feel like it anymore. Her leg really hurts now, and so do her fingers.

Then, things become a blur of panic and adrenaline way too fast. Looking back to check on the waves, she sees movement in the ocean: shapes, boxy and … way too many.

Jellyfish.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Guys."

"You okay, Kie?"

"What's the matter?"

"Just hang in there, we'll guide your board to shore."

"No!" She's yelling now, positively yelling, because they don't understand. How could they? They haven't seen it yet. "It's a friggin bloom! We gotta get the hell outta here!"

"A what now?" JJ yawns. The dude honestly has the nerve to yawn? Out here on the water? But when he looks back at her, she can see understanding dawning.

"Aw shit. Like, a jellyfish bloom?"

When she nods in reply, he scans the waters behind her, squinting against the warm sunlight and she witnesses the exact moment where he can see it too, the shapes in the water, of thousands and thousands of jellies.

"Fuck. We gotta get the hell outta here!" he hollers, jerking his head at John B and Pope, urging them to look behind them as well.

"Fuck."

"Well, great we're all agreeing that we're in deep shit. How about we get the hell going now?" Kie says, already dipping her hands back into the water, because she sure as hell won't be a burden to the boys now. She can get herself to land—if only they'll do the same.

Would help if her leg didn't feel like it was about to fall off … Gritting her teeth, she keeps going, briefly reprimanding JJ and John B when they're trying to help her.

"I got it, you idiots, just keep going. Get outta the water!"

They're making such slow progress. Her heart is beating up into her throat, her chest too tight to contain it. These are not just moon jellies if the shape and the sting on her leg are any indication. These jellies are dangerous.

She really wants to be out of the water now.

But the closer they get to the beach, the rougher the going gets. The waves are breaking with so much force that she's barely able to stay on her board, and at one point, she falls and it's only thanks to Pope—who appears by her side out of nowhere—that she gets back on.

"Shit," she hisses, spluttering a bit. "Thank you." Turning her head this way and that, she scans the ocean and her heart almost stops. "Where the hell are JJ and John B?" She knows she sounds hysteric, but she can't help it. "Pope! Where are they? Oh crap oh crap oh crap!"

"They were just there!" he hollers back, looking equally panicky, his eyes wide as he stares at her, then across the water. Waves are coming ever faster, the whitewash making them shoot this way and that. They're close to the beach now, and yet it feels like they're too damn far away from everything.

"JJ! John B!"

But there's no answer.

* * *

…

"Fuck."

Eloquent as ever, JJ has described his current situation. A freak wave just managed to toss him off his board, and he has no idea where the hell the stupid thing went. At least he can see that Pope has steered Kie close to shore, so he won't have to worry about them. But now he'll have to worry about himself. Not that the feeling is entirely new. He constantly gets himself in trouble after all.

Losing his board isn't the biggest problem. He's done it a couple of times. Maybe Pope is right and he should strap it to his leg. But what would be the fun in that? He likes to be free of any and all restraints, at least out here, the only place where he can be.

"You alright, J?"

John B appears not far from him and he holds up an arm by way of a reply, because the water is suddenly a lot choppier than before. Perfect timing. First a jellyfish bloom, now he loses his board and the ocean decides to completely turn on him.

"Fucking great."

"JJ?"

"I'm good, bro! Just lost my board."

"Fuck, JJ, you need to get out of the fucking water!"

"Watch your language," JJ jokes, and even from a distance, he can see John B roll his eyes at him.

"Sit tight, I'll get you!"

"Nah, bro. You need to get to shore. I'll swim. Simple."

But the second he's finished his sentence, he feels the first sting, strong enough to make him curse.

"Fuck me, that hurts!"

"Shit, JJ. Try and swim toward me!"

"Get outta the water, JB!"

"Think I'll just leave you here, dumbass?"

It's JJ's turn to roll his eyes. Of course John B decides to be stubborn when it counts. Doesn't the idiot understand that JJ needs him to be safe?

Another sting shoots into him, this time on his right side, and he squeezes his eyes shut against the sensation, losing his sense of direction when a wave crashes into him, rolling him around with it.

Shit.

He fights his way up, the water white and boiling around him, and when he opens his eyes to try and see, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of the fucking bloom. So many jellies. They're everywhere.

If he wasn't underwater, he'd probably forget to breathe, but this way, that's already taken care of.

He needs to get the hell out of dodge.

Propelling his arms, he manages to struggle up until his head is above water again, and he just swims. He fucking swims like his life depends on it—and hey, it kind of does.

His legs are burning now, his side, he's not sure it's all because of the jellies or what, not that he has time to assess himself.

Another wave crashes above him, the water pulling him down, and this time, he swallows more water than is good for him, the salt burning his throat. He's not sure which way is up or down until his hip bangs into the harsh sand, and he tries to get his legs under him and push himself up, when strong arms reach around him and pull him up up up.

His blurry gaze meets John B, his friend's hair a halo around him under the water, and even here, in the murky light, JJ can see the panic in John B's eyes.

 _Me too_ , bro, he thinks and has no way of saying as they make their way through the jelly infested water. When they're finally breaking through the surface, JJ is sputtering and coughing and so damn exhausted he can barely cling to John B's board, but like a good bro, his friend helps him up until he flops down on top of it, barely able to move. But he needs to make room. John B has to come up, too.

"Bro—"

"Shut up, JJ." John B knows what he wants to say, doesn't he? But he's not gonna listen. With his hands clutching the board, his legs slicing through the water, John B brings them closer toward the beach, where JJ can now see a frantic Kiara and Pope yell and wave at them.

Somehow he still can't quite make out their voices. The sea is too loud, or maybe it's his own heart thumping in his chest.

"John B, man, You gotta get outta the water."

"I will, in a minute, okay? When I've gotten us both back to shore."

"Bro—"

His friend grimaces, sucking air through clenched teeth, and JJ knows it can only mean one thing. The damn jellies are getting to John B, too. And all he can do is watch because … hell if he can still move.

"You okay, man?"

"Fine," John B presses out and JJ just has to take his word for it because his legs are on fire, and so is one of his arms and his back, and … everything. He can't fucking help John B like that.

Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, all he can do is lie down and not move and hold on to the board as best as he can to at least not make it more difficult for John B to get him out.

"Don't tell anyone I was your damsel in distress when we get back, yeah?" he tries to joke, but neither he nor John B are up for the banter so they don't speak again until JJ can finally see his friend standing up, rushing to push the board toward land. Pope is there now, too, yelling for Kie to stay on the goddamn sand, but JJ barely pays attention to it because all he can focus on is the redness spreading from John B's neck down across the side of his chest and abdomen like a thick band.

"Fuck, they got you good," he says, and John B looks down at him, a disbelieving grin on his face.

"Me? Did you look at yourself, bro?"

"I was kinda trying not to …"

"Probably for the best."

They chuckle briefly, stopping all too soon.

Pope shoots them both a glance as he's pushing the board to shore now that John B's arms have fallen to his sides and he's just trying to get himself out of the water. JJ has to fight the stupid urge to ask him again whether he's okay.

"Fuck," Pope pipes up. "I have nowhere near enough vinegar for this. You guys look like shit. We'll need to get you to the hospital."

With a bump, JJ and the board arrive at the beach, and he realizes it's probably time he pulled himself together and got off. But when he tries to sit up, the world begins spinning around him, and breathing is awfully hard.

"Can't … breathe," he manages and feels Kie's warm hands against his face. But even her touch isn't as reassuring as it should be, and he clutches her wrists, trying again.

Pope is already on his phone, pacing as he calls someone, maybe his parents, JJ isn't sure. Then he hears an all too familiar noise not far from him, and his eyes dart away from Pope, to Kie, to … where John B is kneeling in the wet sand, vomiting and retching like he has the worst hangover ever.

Like that one time they stole a keg from the Kooks and …

JJ's train of thought trails away from him.

"JB," he pushes out between gasps for breath, and Kie turns around, eyes wide as they take in what he's already seen, then turning back to face JJ.

"Oh fuck," it escapes her, "Oh fuck oh fuck. Pope! We need that ambulance. Now!"

JJ can see that she doesn't know what to do, how to be in two places at once. When his gaze trails down to her leg, he sees the welt that's erupted there, looking gnarly, and he grimaces on her behalf until he looks down his own legs and side and arms.

Yeah, he thinks. This is probably not good.

* * *

…

John B's throat feels like it's on fire. His head hurts, his every muscle, and yet he knows he needs to pull himself together, because JJ needs him. JJ, who has it way worse than him.

Wiping the back of his hand over his mouth, he stumbles to his feet again, swaying as the world spins around him, and he takes a few tentative steps toward where Kie is sitting by JJ and where Pope is spraying vinegar on their friend's legs, but the little bottle seems to be empty too soon and Pope silently curses to himself.

"J …"

John B fights down a new wave of nausea, pinching the bridge of his nose as he falls to his knees next to Kie, oblivious to the way she looks at him because he only has eyes for JJ. The boy looks like a goddamn lobster, his skin is so red.

"We need to get the tentacles off him," he says, but before he can reach out, Kie grabs his wrist and stills his movements. Shaking her head as he glares at her, she points to her own fingers. They're an angry red, and he grimaces.

"Don't make my mistake. Those bitches can still sting even now, okay?"

But JJ is wheezing, his lips kinda blue, and John B simply doesn't care about his own hands. JJ is fucking suffocating.

"He can't fucking breathe, Kie! He's allergic. I've seen it before, when we were kids ..."

He doesn't wait for her to reply or try and keep him away but shoves her away roughly, clutching JJ's neck with both his hands.

"John B?" The look of growing panic on JJ's face pierces him right in the heart. He's seen JJ suffer through too much, and it's never gotten any easier, only ever worse. And this, this reminds him too much of one summer day, almost six years ago, when he'd thought with the absolute certainty of a ten-year-old that he was going to lose his best friend. Back then, it had only been one measly jelly, though, not … not this.

So his own pain be damned, he isn't going to let that stop him from helping JJ. Scanning his best friend's body, he begins picking at the places where he can see pieces of tentacles sticking to JJ's skin.

"Shit, John B, stop. Stop!"

Kie and Pope keep yelling at him, and he keeps ignoring them. Just like he's ignoring the intense pain racing down his neck and side, and the nausea—until he has to lean over to the side again to retch, even though by now his stomach is completely empty.

"You okay, bro?" JJ wheezes out, and John B looks up at him, chuckling in disbelief, if only for a few seconds.

"Says the guy who's wheezing like a grandma ..."

"Shit, John B. Shoulda listened to that nurse back then. Remember? The …"

Of course he does.

JJ's chest is barely moving, his lips too pale. John B is frantically picking at the tentacles, until Pope pulls him off of JJ with startling force and determination.

"It won't help him if you make yourself pass out, JB!" he yells, and John B stares at him in shock, not understanding what he's on about.

"Let me go, man," he says, his voice low and threatening, but Pope is unimpressed.

"You need to step away. I get it, you want to help JJ, but it won't help him if you get stung anymore yourself, okay? I'm only guessing here, but it looks like he's showing some kind of anaphylactic reaction."

"No shit, asshole."

Pope is still unphased by the verbal abuse, but John B can't help it. His eyes are welling up, a mix of panic and anger and helplessness making him push against his friend with both hands.

"Let me go to JJ."

"No. Bro. Kie is with him, okay? Ambulance is on its way. But you need to sit down and stay away from the nematocysts."

Pope with the fancy words again. Like they have time for this shit now.

"You've vomited like, ten times already, bro. It's a clear sign you could be suffering from Irukandji syndrome, which is a severe reaction to jelly stings. You can't get exposed to even more."

"Someone needs to fucking take those things off JJ, Pope! He's gonna die if we don't. He's … I can't let him die, man, I can't."

Pope nods. "I know, alright? So let me do it," he says and John B is in too much agony now to keep pushing against him, too worried about JJ. So he lets Pope go and watches as he picks up where John B left off, leaving him to slump down by JJ's head and pull it onto his lap.

"JB?"

"Here, bro."

"Can't … fucking … breathe."

"I know, man, I know. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

JJ's eyes roll toward the back of his skull, and John B chokes on a lump in his still burning throat.

"Come on, JJ, don't do this. JJ, please. Please …"

He doesn't care that he's begging, doesn't care that tears are running down his face now, or Kie is looking at him with a mix of fear and sympathy, big sobs breaking out of her as she helps Pope get rid of more tentacles as best as she can. Her t-shirt wrapped around her hand, she's trying to scrape the offensive jelly pieces off with the help of a sharp-edged shell.

John B thinks he could try that too, but by now he can barely move anymore, his entire body is aching, his neck and side burning so badly he wants to curl up on the ground and scream. But he's holding JJ, JJ with his eyes closed and not quite breathing, and he can't leave him now, he can't.

"Please, JJ, come on."

When Pope suddenly curses loudly, then pushes John B away to put JJ's head at an angle and breathe into his mouth, then push down on his chest, he sits there, paralyzed, and stares in shock.

Seconds pass by that feel like hours, until Pope leans back, looking exhausted. His eyes trained on Kie, he seems to be avoiding John B.

"I'm not sure he's still ... there."

_No. No no no no no._

"Where's the fucking ambulance?!"

John B jolts out of his stupor and crawls past Pope toward JJ, pressing his lips against JJ's, taking over.

"John B …"

He swats at Kie, at Pope, and keeps going, until he's lightheaded and the world is threatening to fade out on him. But he's not gonna give up on JJ. No fucking way.

"There!" Kie suddenly blurts, but he still doesn't stop. Pounding against JJ's chest, he yells at his friend to "Wake the fuck up!"

 _Please_ ...

When a troop of paramedics races toward them and takes over, one of them kneeling down before him, too, saying something with a too calm and supposed-to-be-soothing voice, he backs away, staring past the man with wild eyes, trying to see JJ, to …

Kie's gentle hands wrap around him from the side, and he melts into her a bit, unable to function anymore.

"JJ …"

"They're helping him now, okay, John B? He's going to be alright. He's breathing again, okay? He's breathing …"

He is?

"So you need to let them help _you_ now, too. Please, John B. —John B?"

JJ is breathing again …

Exhaling in a sigh, John B slumps against Kie more, allowing his eyes to flutter closed.

* * *

…

Puffing out air, Pope puts both hands on his head and keeps pacing. He's been pacing for what feels like hours now. As his hands brush against his head, he winces and lowers his arms.

Fucking jellyfish. His fingers are on fire. He has no idea how JJ and John B and even Kie are still alive.

Well, JJ almost didn't make it …

Anaphylactic shock is such a bitch. But he's glad JJ got epinephrine just in time, and oxygen. Had the paramedics gotten there just a few minutes later … He doesn't want to think about it. Like he doesn't want to think about the fact that he had been ready to give up on JJ. If it hadn't been for John B …

Squeezing his eyes closed, he stops in his tracks for a moment and sniffs. Today was a nightmare.

"You alright, baby?"

He turns to see his mom standing before him, a steaming cup in her hands. His parents have been here for some time now, too, sitting with Kie and her parents, chatting while they're all waiting for news about the other two boys.

Pope tries to smile at his mom, but he knows she can see right through him when she places a soft hand against his cheek and sighs.

"I'm okay, mom."

"Why don't you sit down, too?"

She points over to where Kie is sitting, leg propped up on the chair in front of her, and when his gaze meets hers, she briefly waves over, the gesture half-hearted at best.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll … I'll do that," he says and leans into his mom for a brief hug before he goes over to Kiara, flopping down in the chair next to hers. "Hey …"

"How's the hands?"

He scoffs, grinning at her.

"How's yours? And the leg?"

She makes a face, then gives a thumbs sideways.

"Could be worse, I guess …"

"Yeah." No shit. He swallows, still feeling the remnants of a lump lodged deep inside of him and he wonders whether it'll ever go away again.

"You think he'll be alright now?"

"JJ?"

Kie nods, looking down at her fidgeting fingers. Pope tilts his head, scrutinizing her for a moment, then, following an impulse, he grabs her hand.

"You know JJ."

"Yeah …"

"He'll be alright, Kie. It'll just take a while with all the burns."

"Right."

There's an awkward pause and he notices Kie staring at her hand in his bandaged on, but she doesn't let go, and somehow that's a relief despite the fact that touching her hurts right now.

"And John B? What did they say he has again? Sounded like a sushi delicacy."

"Irukandji syndrome?"

"How do you even know shit like that?"

A bit self-conscious, he moves to run a hand over his head, the stinging in his hands reminding him at the last minute that it's not a good idea.

"Yeah, well … It's, um, a complication that can occur with jellyfish stings. Basically your immune system goes on overdrive. It's usually not quite as bad as anaphylaxis, though."

"Usually?"

"Yeah …" He better not tell her that some patients have suffered cardiac arrest in the past. She doesn't need to know. John B is in the clear now, after all.

"He wasn't doing so hot at the end there, either," she notes, looking too worried, and he sighs.

"I know." He squeezes her hand, unable to look her in the eyes. Tears are welling in there again and he knows if he catches a glimpse of them, he'll start bawling, too. And he can't. One Pogue needs to be strong for the rest of them, and, well, that leaves only him.

He's trying to come up with something encouraging to say, when a door opens and a scrubbed figure walks out, heading toward them.

"Are you the families of JJ Maybank and John Routledge?

"Um …"

This is awkward.

But awkward passes, and somehow, Pope and Kie's parents manage to fill out the paperwork for their two friends and hell, Pope is pretty sure he sees a DCS lady show up at some point, too, and more precious minutes pass before they're finally, finally allowed to see their friends.

Kie looks at Pope with a hint of despair when the doctor says only one at a time, and he nudges her side.

"Let's split up," he suggests, and she nods.

"Can I go see JJ first? I need to see he's really still here, after ..."

"Yeah, sure," he says, because he's all out of complicated things to say, and so they head over to where their friends are, and he gets to John B's door and takes the deepest breath and … enters.

Be strong, he reminds himself. Be strong.

And he is.

John B's eyes are closed. When he looks at the nurse in the room with them, she smiles at him.

"He's resting now," she explains. "We had to give him some morphine against the pain."

"Morphine." The hard shit. Fuck.

Be strong …

"The next few days will be a bit rough, but he'll be fine. He's got great friends."

The nurse smiles. Pope isn't sure he can reciprocate the expression so he settles on staring down at John B instead.

"Hey," he says, then lifts his gaze after all to look at the nurse. "Can I … hold his hand?" Is that weird? Too cheesy? John B will have his head for this when he wakes up. But Pope doesn't care.

"Of course," the nurse says, and he doesn't need to be told twice.

"Get some rest, bro, yeah?" he mutters at the sleeping boy. "Coz when you wake up, I think JJ might need you." They all need him. And JJ. They need each other.

Pope can't lose them. He can't lose any of his friends, he can't.

No more fucking surfing for a while …

* * *

…

Kie sniffs. Holding JJ's hand in hers, she sits by his side and just … looks at him. His poor battered body. First his dad, and now … even the sea was out to get him. It's not fair. She's just glad he's still here, but as soon as he wakes up, he'll be in pain again and …

"Don't cry."

"What?" She startles at hearing his raspy voice, her features softening when she watches him peel his eyes open to look at her. "JJ? Oh thank God, you're awake. How are you awake? I should call a nurse."

His hand shoots out to grab her wrist and he shakes his head, grimacing.

"Ow."

"JJ …"

"Nah, Kie. I'm fine. I just wanna be alone for a bit, 'kay?"

"Sure, I'll …"

She looks down at his hand holding her and he's not moving to let go. His eyes are flickering closed again. He won't say it, but she knows what it means. He doesn't want her to leave, doesn't actually want to be alone.

"How's the leg?" His speech is a bit slurred and she has to smile.

"It's okay. How are you? Those fucking jellies did a number on you and John B …" She trails off when his hold on her tightens and his eyes show again, if only for a moment.

"He okay?"

"John B? Yeah, he's … fine, JJ."

"Didn't look fine to me."

"Have you looked at yourself?" She can't help but chuckle, and he makes a face, stifling a groan. "You sure I can't get a nurse? Maybe they can give you more painkillers."

"I'm used to pain, Kie. I don't wanna be conked out. I need to get moving before they call my dad. I shouldn't have let them bring me here. Shit. Where's John B? I need to find him, too. If DCS gets wind of this …"

"JJ …"

"Fuck. We're both screwed now, aren't we?" He's trying to sit up and failing miserably. Kie gently pushes down on his chest and it's all she needs to do to make him slump back onto the bed. He's too exhausted, too in pain to move.

"It'll be okay, JJ, alright? You'll be fine."

He scoffs, shaking his head. He's not looking at her, so she cups his face and cajoles him to meet her gaze.

"JJ."

"I can't fucking stay here, Kie. You know I can't."

"You'll have to. You almost died, JJ, do you get that? You almost fucking _died_. And I can't lose you, _we_ can't lose you. Did you see John B when we thought you were gone? Did you see how he fought for you? If he really means so much to you, if the Pogues mean anything to you, then you better stop being so self-deprecating. We all love you, JJ. Why can't you love yourself a little, too? Huh? Please …"

"It's not so fucking easy."

"Yes it is! It is that easy."

"My dad …"

"Fuck your dad. Honestly, JJ. It's taken you almost dying to get DCS interested in your case, but now they are, and …"

"Shit. What? DCS was here? Fuuuuck. I need to find John B …"

"Can you fucking listen for once, JJ? It's over, okay? The jellyfish incident has seen to it that someone finally realized bad stuff is going on with you because Luke didn't fucking pick up when the hospital called. Someone else had to make life and death medical decisions for you, JJ, because your parent wasn't there to do it. It's time to accept that it can't get worse."

"Kie …"

"No, JJ." She's aware that she's still cupping his face, tears running down her face now, angry and hot, and JJ's eyes are wide as he looks at her. "I was so scared," she blurts out, wiping at her face. "So fucking scared. You stopped breathing, JJ. You stopped breathing …"

"I'm sorry, okay?"

He looks so lost and guilty that she can't help but laugh. Then, she slowly allows herself to lean closer, fighting the urge to follow her impulse to hug him. JJ doesn't do closeness—unless it's with John B—and Kie knows she needs to be careful now, not least because his skin is raw from the goddamn jellyfish bloom.

"Can I … can I hug you?" she therefore asks, and the way he raises his eyebrows, both cautious and surprised, and maybe with a hint of something else—a smile—tells her it was the right thing to say.

"Yeah," he allows, having to clear his throat before the word comes out alright. "Just, maybe avoid the lobster parts of me? Feels like I've been cooked a bit too long on my right side."

Kie chuckles, then shakes her head before she finally, carefully, leans her forehead against his, her arm gently wrapping around his left side.

"I'm so glad you're still here."

"Me too."

* * *

…

JJ's throat is too tight. But this time, it's got nothing to do with swollen shut airways and jellyfish tentacles, and everything with the fact that Kiara Carrera was just here, so close, and held him.

… or, well, the fact that apparently DCS is on his case now …

… and he hasn't seen John B yet. He needs to see him. It's been, what? A full day now, and he still hasn't seen him.

So when Pope comes to visit, he recruits him to help him up and out of bed.

"Bro, I don't think this is a good idea."

"Course it is. We need to check on John B."

"I told you he's fine."

"Yeah, well, and _I_ told you I don't believe it until I've seen it myself."

Pope glares at him, clearly already over the stage of "we need to be careful with JJ and cut him some slack because he almost died."

"Bro …"

There, that tone says it all, but JJ doesn't care. He has places to be, and if he focuses on John B, then maybe his mind won't run amok with thoughts of Kie and her soft warm skin, and ...

He glares up at Pope, and pushes his legs over the edge of the bed, hissing at the pain it causes.

"If you don't help me, I'll just do it alone."

A few expletives leave Pope's mouth, so quiet JJ can pretend he doesn't hear. But when he pushes his arms against the mattress, his muscles weirdly weak and shaking from the strain, Pope does come to his aid and carefully puts his arm around JJ to help him stand.

"Can we not do this, please? I don't think John B would want you to get hurt leaving your bed so soon. The doctor clearly advised—"

"I don't fucking care what the 'doctor advised,' bro." JJ scowls up at Pope briefly before the task of standing up needs all his attention. Shit, since when is it so hard to just fucking stand on his own two feet? Hurts like fucking hell, too.

"Okay, lemme at least get a wheelchair or something, yeah?"

He wants to object, wants to say, _fuck off_ and he's not a pussy, but then the world tilts a little too much and he slumps back onto the edge of his bed and just waves at Pope.

"Better do it now, then."

He doesn't need to tell Pope twice. His friend is gone and back in, like, two minutes flat, pushing a wheelchair into the room with a look of triumph on his face.

"I totally stole this from in front of the nurse's room," Pope says, but JJ has no time for this moment of glee.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's go," he says and somehow manages to flop into the stupid thing.

"Alright, fasten your seatbelts, we're on our way."

JJ rolls his eyes. Pope could be so goofy. (He likes it, though. Makes him feel like he's not fragile JJ now, just regular old JJ that jokes with his friends.)

When they get to John B's room and the door opens, JJ finds himself curling his arm around his middle as a weird new pain stabs his chest.

There, on a bed, looking like death warmed over, is John B, and snuggled up against his side—the one that isn't patched up with gauze—is Kie, her eyes closed, but a soft smile on her lips.

"Yo, bro, I heard you were the one who broke one of my ribs," JJ manages to say, and he's kind of glad his voice isn't as shaky as he feels.

Two of his favorite people, so close together. And they're okay. They are okay.

Is there a hint of jealousy creeping into him, though? Nah. John B and Kie have always had an incestuous kind of touchy-feely relationship, not unlike him and John B. Plus, Kie is still working hard on making amends for her Kook year and not being there when JB'd have needed her the most. (They'd all needed her, but JJ'd stepped up.)

John B raises his head slightly, a grin spreading on his face.

"JJ …"

JJ's heart almost explodes for some stupid reason, and he clears his throat so as not to choke on what feels awfully close to a sob.

"Hey, JB. Glad you're okay, bro."

"Are _you_? You scared me, man."

Too much truth in the words, in John B's tone. JJ doesn't quite know how to handle it. So all he says is, "Yeah man, I'm good. Fucking jellies, though. I mean, can you believe this shit? Invertebrate fuckers knocked us flat on our asses better than anyone ever did."

Are jellies even invertebrates? Surely, Pope knows. Not that JJ cares. The stupid grin on his face only grows, and when Pope has finally wheeled him close enough to the bed that he could reach John B's hand if he wanted to … that's exactly what he does.

Time stops for a moment, the world growing quiet and calm, and then John B smiles at him, the light around them warm like honey, and JJ smiles back.

They're all still alive. They'll all be okay. Somehow. Because they got each other.

…

**Author's Note:**

> And, well, that's it. I hope you liked this a bit and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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